Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men clashed with Israeli police in central Jerusalem on Sunday during a protest against a Supreme Court order mandating their enlistment for military service. The recent landmark decision could destabilize Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Tens of thousands gathered in an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood to protest the order. However, after nightfall, the demonstration moved toward central Jerusalem and turned violent.
Israeli police reported that protesters threw rocks and attacked the car of an ultra-Orthodox Cabinet minister, pelting it with stones. Police used water cannons filled with skunk-scented water and mounted officers on horseback to disperse the crowd. The protest remained uncontrolled late into Sunday night despite these measures.
In Israel, military service is compulsory for most Jewish men and women. However, powerful ultra-Orthodox political parties have secured exemptions for their followers, which has allowed them to study in religious seminaries instead. This long-standing arrangement has caused resentment among the broader public, particularly during the eight-month war against Hamas. So far over 600 soldiers have been killed in the conflict, and tens of thousands of reservists have been called up which has led to the disruption of their careers, businesses, and lives.
Ultra-Orthodox parties and their followers argue that compulsory military service would destroy their traditional way of life. Earlier on Sunday, thousands of men gathered in a square for mass prayers, holding signs critical of the government, including one that read, “not even one male” should be drafted.
These ultra-Orthodox parties are important members of Netanyahu’s coalition and could greatly force new elections if they choose to leave the government in protest. Party leaders have not yet announced whether they will withdraw from the alliance, a move that carries immense risk given the coalition’s waning popularity since the Hamas attack on October 7th that ignited the war.